Why is euthanasia for mental illness much more accepted in Europe than in other places (e.g., USA)?

[Tired of existing]

I am a european, not from UK, and I think it es because of the religious traditions in the US.
All these Megachurches, evengelicals, all sorts of congregetions teach you that life owes you nothing, you have to pull yourself up your boot straps.
You are grown and on you're own, the Dave Ramseys, talk shows etc. etc.

Yet suicide is considered a sin, a rejection of god and his plans for every american human being.
While churches preach to people that the world owes them nothing but hard work.
They reject the notion that noone owes "living" to this world, nobody was asked to be born.

I know that probably the majority of americans aren't that deep into religion, but that sentiment has a grip on the culture.
In many parts of europe we don't "pretend" freedom and simultaneously deny people the rigt to die.
If you want to die there are legal ways of assistance and nobody cares about the "sinfulness" of your choice, it's your life after all.

In many way europe has much more freedom than the US, they just don't realize ist.

 

[Ironweed]

No, but I heard that a lot of their men off themselves and nobody bats an eye, but every time someone kills themselves in America they make it a big deal, over nothing. smh.

LOL, no. In Japan they even charge families a fine for cleanup if you throw yourself in front of a train. Link

In Tokyo, many stations have platform barriers to prevent suicides (as well as to prevent people from accidentally falling onto the tracks—which does happen). Website Tofugu has an informative article that deals with suicide in Japan and points out that some of the country's railroad stations have sued the families of people who jumped in front of trains, aiming to reclaim lost income caused by suicides. As heartless as that sounds, these court cases are also a way to prevent future suicides. That is, at train stations.

I guess nobody in Japan hates their families; something like that would rate as an added fuck you if you hate them I'd imagine.

 

[Tired of existing]

I don't think it has anything to do with religion. Back in school, many of my classmates weren't religious and they supported medical euthanasia. But when the topic of mental illness is brought up, usually the argument is that we (as mentally ill people) are incapable of making a rational decision on such a thing, and that it'd be medically inhumane to allow it. Many Americans also have the idea of euthanasia where the doctor is administering some lethal injection, even though the Netherlands and Switzerland do no such thing. So I can see why people would be wary.

Remember that those European countries usually have accessible and robust healthcare services. Even at their worst, I'm sure they do much better than the American psychiatric system by accessibilty alone. And I agree with that line of thinking-- there are probably many suicidal people in the USA who simply don't have access to the care they need, and may choose a medically assisted suicide as a way out. And we wouldn't know if a good therapist or affordable meds would've given them the life that they desired. It's definitely a consideration for "regular" euthanasia for old people and the terminally ill, after all. There's already a very real fear that Grandma will choose the euthanasia over a potentially life-saving treatment just to spare her family the burden of medical bills.

If mental health care (hell, medical care in general) were more accessible, and if mental illnesses had more awareness and less stigma in general, I'm sure the American people and lawmakers would come around and see why a medically assisted suicide would be more humane for people with prolonged & chronic mental illness than leaving them to suffer in a psych ward for the rest of their life. Or worse, killing themselves anyway, but while alone, scared, and in tremendous physical pain.

Well, here in europe we provide services to mentally ill people, that solves most problems.
In the US, as I undestand, if you don't work you join the homeless encampments all over the country.
Even asylums for the mentally ill have been closed down for budget reasons.
Disability ist hard get approved and most couldn't navigate the system anyway.

In my country we provide simple housing to everyone who is able to maintain an apartment regardless if he works or not for whatever reason.
Those who can't maintain their appartment, live in group homes with paid and trained social workers who attend their needs.
There are subsidized job programs to teach people skills and keep them occupied within communities which are directed by trained social workers.

All that of course costs a lot of money.
For assisted suicide you have to be at least "sane" enough to understand the consequences of your request and make your case in front of medical specialists.
That is a difficult assesment, yet many have been approved in Switzerland and the Netherland.

 

[everydayiloveyou]

Well, here in europe we provide services to mentally ill people, that solves most problems.
In the US, as I undestand, if you don't work you join the homeless encampments all over the country.
Even asylums for the mentally ill have been closed down for budget reasons.
Disability ist hard get approved and most couldn't navigate the system anyway.

In my country we provide simple housing to everyone who is able to maintain an apartment regardless if he works or not for whatever reason.
Those who can't maintain their appartment, live in group homes with paid and trained social workers who attend their needs.
There are subsidized job programs to teach people skills and keep them occupied within communities which are directed by trained social workers.

All that of course costs a lot of money.
For assisted suicide you have to be at least "sane" enough to understand the consequences of your request and make your case in front of medical specialists.
That is a difficult assesment, yet many have been approved in Switzerland and the Netherland.

Exactly. I really believe that many of the Americans even on this site would not be thinking about killing themselves if they had the resources that people in countries like yours do. I know my life probably would've turned out so much differently if my teachers were trained and had noticed that I had problems earlier, and if my parents could afford to get me treatment. I probably would not have ended up on this site. The funny thing is that we already pay lots of taxes and such, it's already not cheap to live here. But being poor is the biggest expense that most Americans have. No health insurance -> huge medical bills. Poor education -> bad jobs. Needing cheap rent just to survive -> live in a rural area where you *need* a car to even visit your neighbor, and the only places you can buy food is McDonalds and Walmart, etc. We can definitely afford to give people basic dignity. But the people sitting pretty at our capital refuse to let that happen because of their own selfish reasons (it hurts their business, mostly)

I like the system Switzerland and the Netherlands have for assisted suicide and life in general. People get second chances, they get help and support. Of course there will be people who have serious issues that can't be helped with treatment, and assisted suicide should be an option for people like that. I know the doctors there aren't just letting anyone who asks kill themselves, they make an informed and unbiased medical analysis on the person first, and it's very reasonable. But I really think America should provide basic health and social services before they provide assisted suicide.

 

[Tired of existing]

Exactly. I really believe that many of the Americans even on this site would not be thinking about killing themselves if they had the resources that people in countries like yours do. I know my life probably would've turned out so much differently if my teachers were trained and had noticed that I had problems earlier, and if my parents could afford to get me treatment. I probably would not have ended up on this site. The funny thing is that we already pay lots of taxes and such, it's already not cheap to live here. But being poor is the biggest expense that most Americans have. No health insurance -> huge medical bills. Poor education -> bad jobs. Needing cheap rent just to survive -> live in a rural area where you *need* a car to even visit your neighbor, and the only places you can buy food is McDonalds and Walmart, etc. We can definitely afford to give people basic dignity. But the people sitting pretty at our capital refuse to let that happen because of their own selfish reasons (it hurts their business, mostly)

I like the system Switzerland and the Netherlands have for assisted suicide and life in general. People get second chances, they get help and support. Of course there will be people who have serious issues that can't be helped with treatment, and assisted suicide should be an option for people like that. I know the doctors there aren't just letting anyone who asks kill themselves, they make an informed and unbiased medical analysis on the person first, and it's very reasonable. But I really think America should provide basic health and social services before they provide assisted suicide.

Well, I guess the US is good for people who want to make a lot of money.
And that's ok, that's why many people want to immigrate and chase the american dream.

If I work in the same job in the US that I work here I might double my income overall.
Taxes are really high in my country, approximately half of my income is taxed.
In the US I might be able to afford stuff I couldn't afford here, provided I land a good paying job in my field of work.

On the other hand, in my country I don't have to deal with copays, deductions or medical bankruptcies in general.
I'm forced to pay into public health insurance and thus I'm entitled to it when I need it, no extra payments involved.
My state pension, what you call "social security", is way higher if I get eldarly.
There ist subsidized public housing that keeps rents low, so even low income earners don't spend more than half of their income on rent.
Every adult ist entitled to roughly 1000$ per month in wellfare, bassically for life, to meet the bare necessaties.

And there is free treatment and job programs for people who struggle mentally and fall on hard times.
Homeless encampments are unknown around here.
That being said, many people still choose to CTB and that's the way of life.

I guess every country has it ups and downs.

 

[aBLEACHyindividual]

LOL, no. In Japan they even charge families a fine for cleanup if you throw yourself in front of a train. Link

Well idk how fast trains are in Japan but I wouldn't do it, like last week over here someone got pushed in front of a train and they survived, idk what state they're in but they survived it.

 

[xLosthopex]

Europe is a big place lol I'm in Europe and my country certainly isn't more accepting of it, only Belgium and Switzerland as far as I know

 

[Sherri]

They will prob open more to it in the states in a near future hopefully. I mean they have death sentences in some states. I think and thats just my personal opinion, that a criminal convict should be the rest of his days in jail and not get a peaceful exit if They are really guilty of horrible crimes. There's nothing worse than jail for life in my opinion.

 

[Buffy5120]

They will prob open more to it in the states in a near future hopefully. I mean they have death sentences in some states. I think and thats just my personal opinion, that a criminal convict should be the rest of his days in jail and not get a peaceful exit if They are really guilty of horrible crimes. There's nothing worse than jail for life in my opinion.

Our lives are literally jail for life

 

[Sherri]

Our lives are literally jail for life

Also that, you are absolutely right. Just another type of jail.

 

[Jean Améry]

They will prob open more to it in the states in a near future hopefully. I mean they have death sentences in some states. I think and thats just my personal opinion, that a criminal convict should be the rest of his days in jail and not get a peaceful exit if They are really guilty of horrible crimes. There's nothing worse than jail for life in my opinion.

I'm not sure if spending years in a cell waiting for one's death sentence to be carried out is really peaceful. Imo it could qualify as psychological torture. It is true lethal injection is a supposedly humane way of dying (although that too has been botched at times) but for someone who actually wants to live being forcibily taken into a small room knowing he'll die in there, strapped to the bed etcetera will be frightening enough.

 

[Sherri]

I'm not sure if spending years in a cell waiting for one's death sentence to be carried out is really peaceful. Imo it could qualify as psychological torture. It is true lethal injection is a supposedly humane way of dying (although that too has been botched at times) but for someone who actually wants to live being forcibily taken into a small room knowing he'll die in there, strapped to the bed etcetera will be frightening enough.

That is true, but if he hunted 20 people or so and stabbed them and horrible things, do you still think the same? I'm ok with any opinion. It's good to know different perspectives and makes me change my mind sometimes.

 

[Brink]

Why is euthanasia for mental illness much more accepted in Europe than in other places (e.g., USA)?

It's not at all.

Only the blue countries have active euthanasia laws.

 

[Jean Améry]

That is true, but if he hunted 20 people or so and stabbed them and horrible things, do you still think the same? I'm ok with any opinion. It's good to know different perspectives and makes me change my mind sometimes.

I'm not sure what you mean by your question.

Do I still think the death sentence as it's practiced in the US isn't a peaceful exit? Yes I do.

Do I think in your scenario the death penalty is too light a sentence in comparison to the gravity of the crime(s)? I don't think we should make the punishment fit the crime since this would imply brutally murdering murderers, torturing people to death etcetera. Which is barbaric and unbecoming of any civilized society. The primary goal of any legal punishment should be protection of the public against the offender and if possible making the criminal see the error of his ways. I don't see how inflicting unnecessary pain on someone (even if they are guilty of doing the same to others) is somehow going to lessen the suffering of the victim or his family and significant others.

Do I think life in prison is worse than the death penalty? I'm not sure: for some it probably is while others would prefer to live even if there is no hope of ever being released.

 

[JustLosingMyself]

I'm afraid the theory and practice are rather different. Many people in the countries you mentioned are clamouring for euthanasia for mental suffering yet very few actually receive it. It's a typical carrot-on-a-string Spiel: they pretend it's a real possiblity and you'll get it if you do everything they say and submit to whatever they want while in reality you'll have to suffer for years and years and even then it's not a guarantee you'll eventually receive euthanasia.

True.
It's a misconception that you can walk in and ask for euthanasia for mental illness, or any other illness for that matter. It's possible but it takes a while. You need a working relationship with a doctor, go through your assessments and have run out of reasonable medical treatment options. It takes a couple of years. Better than naught.

 

[Buffy5120]

True.
It's a misconception that you can walk in and ask for euthanasia for mental illness, or any other illness for that matter. It's possible but it takes a while. You need a working relationship with a doctor, go through your assessments and have run out of reasonable medical treatment options. It takes a couple of years. Better than naught.

I know some who got accepted they didnt have to have a personal relationship with the doctor

 

[LenkaX]

Religion. There is probably a correlation between decreasing levels of religiosity in Europe and liberalization of attitudes towards topics such as euthanasia, abortion etc.
The US is still a mainly Christian country, especially the central and southern states.

It's not religion. I live in Czech republic (also in Europe), one of the most atheist country in the world and there never was and most probably never will be any possibility of euthanasia.